Abiolas

Abiolas is a surname of Yoruba origin used by people of Nigerian descent and in Yoruba-speaking communities abroad. The root Abiola is a Yoruba name that is often interpreted as meaning “born into wealth” or “wealth has come.” As a surname, Abiolas identify members of families bearing the Abiola name and reflect Yoruba naming practices.

Notable Abiolas include Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, commonly known as M. K. O. Abiola, a Nigerian businessman and publisher who is widely regarded as the winner of the 1993 Nigerian presidential election, which was later annulled by the military government. His wife, Kudirat Abiola, was a prominent activist who campaigned for democracy and was killed in 1996 in Lagos. The Abiola surname appears among other Nigerians and in the diaspora, illustrating the spread of Yoruba heritage through immigration and settlement in various countries.

Culturally, Yoruba names often convey attributes, lineage, or circumstances of birth, and the element tied to wealth in Abiola aligns with broader patterns in Yoruba naming traditions. Abiolas can be found primarily in the southwestern region of Nigeria but also among communities abroad that maintain Yoruba language and cultural ties, including in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.

The term Abiolas refers to people who bear the Abiola surname and is not tied to a single individual, organization, or place. It is used descriptively to discuss a family name shared by multiple people who share Yoruba heritage.